“You’re right,” she said. “It wouldn’t be fair, especially if they were standing up to those thugs that stole the staff.”
Yumi sniffed. “I heard one of those thugs might be your father.”
“You’ve known me for a lot of weeks now. Would you be shocked to find that thuggishness ran in my family?”
“No.”
“Thanks.”
A knock came at the hatch, and Leonidas’s face appeared in the window. He nodded at her.
Alisa took a deep breath and waved for him to come in with their guests. She had asked him to set up this moment, so she couldn’t shy away from it.
Leonidas entered first and stood as close to Alisa’s seat as he could with Yumi sitting behind her. Suyin and Admiral Tiang came through behind him, both wearing annoyed expressions. Very similar annoyed expressions. Alisa had no trouble seeing the family resemblance in their dark brown eyes and small noses, though Suyin had lighter skin and a wave to her hair. They did not look much like prisoners, despite their expressions. Leonidas had not bound their hands, probably because there weren’t any intellicuffs on the ship—and the old-fashioned handcuffs in Mica’s sex-toy drawer had been used for a previous adventure—but the way he was herding them around and looming behind them must make them feel like captives.
“Captain,” Admiral Tiang said. “Is an explanation forthcoming? Colonel Adler has been quite tight-lipped.”
“Because he doesn’t know the plan yet.”
Indeed, one of Leonidas’s eyebrows went up. He was being patient in going along with her when there hadn’t been time to explain. She had wanted to get the Nomad out of the city as quickly as possible after learning that the Alliance might be tracking Suyin by her earstar or some other method.
“Must be odd for him to be outside of the loop on command decisions,” Suyin said, eyeing Leonidas.
“There’s not much of a loop,” Alisa said. “Unless you count the busy little racetrack inside my head. We’re heading to the Belt of Fire, the Draco Continent specifically. My science officer and our Starseer believe that’s where the attack on Laikagrad originated.”
The Tiangs’ foreheads wrinkled in similar manners. The admiral had deeper creases.
“We’re going to try and retrieve the Staff of Lore from the person who used it on Laikagrad,” Alisa added, nodding to the admiral. He, of course, would know all about the artifact.
“I wondered if that might be it,” Tiang murmured. “The newscasters were blathering about earthquakes, and when I commed the Storm Fury early on, they barely had time to talk to me… But as to who has it, it’s not one of your people?” He stared at Alisa. “We know you stole it.”
“Technically, we found it first,” Alisa said, “but then it was stolen from us on Cleon Moon by some Starseers who apparently wouldn’t mind taking over the system. I’ve heard that today’s attack was a warning or a demonstration of power, and assume someone higher up than you knows all about it.”
Alisa thought the admiral might protest, or at least sniff haughtily at the idea that he, an admiral, would not be in the loop, but all he did was frown thoughtfully. It wasn’t as if medical officers were involved with command decisions, so maybe he wasn’t surprised by the idea.
Suyin looked back and forth between Alisa, Leonidas, and her father, no hint of understanding on her face. Given the top-secret status that the Staff of Lore must have been given, Alisa was not surprised that the admiral had not brought it up at family dinners.
“You came here to get it back?” Tiang asked.
“I never wanted it in the first place, but yes. I don’t want the empire or rogue Starseers or anyone dangerous to have it.”
Leonidas stirred, but did not say anything. Alisa would freely admit later that she’d not had much to do with the decision to go after the staff, that this was someone else’s mission, but this version of the story seemed easier to explain for now.
“But you came specifically to get me,” Suyin said. “What do I have to do with… whatever this stolen item is that you seek?”
“We came because you were in the city that had been attacked and we were close by,” Alisa said. “I’d looked you up when I was trying to find the admiral. For a, uhm, personal matter.”
“What personal matter could you have that involves me?” Tiang asked. “I don’t even know you.”
Something else that would be difficult and awkward to explain in its entirety right now. Especially with Yumi sitting there, looking curiously on. Alisa did not want to presume to talk about Leonidas’s secret desires in front of her. Or in front of Suyin either.
“Leonidas needs some work done,” she said, hoping that was suitably vague, “and apparently, you know about cyborg… work, since you’ve done some before.”
Tiang blinked slowly a few times, processing that.
Leonidas sighed quietly and looked toward the ceiling. No, he definitely did not look like he wanted to have this conversation with others around. Well, he could broach the subject himself and talk to these people if he wanted to use a different tactic. He had been letting her take charge ever since the Tiangs had been brought on board. No, ever since he had agreed to work for her. Whether he agreed with her all the time or not. He was a man of his word.
“What kind of work?” Tiang frowned at Leonidas. “You look fine, boy.”
If Alisa had been drinking, she would have choked at hearing someone call Leonidas boy.
“He looks dangerous,” Suyin muttered. “They all do,” she added, squinting at Alisa.
“Me?” Yumi lifted her eyebrows. She looked about as dangerous as a dishtowel.
“They didn’t come to pick us up as part of some humanitarian mission,” Suyin said, leaning close to her father. “They were taking advantage of the situation. We’ve been abducted.”
Alisa made an indignant noise. It was all she could manage since it was the truth.
“Whatever you think my father can do for you—and you—” Suyin frowned at Leonidas, “—you’re delusional if you believe this is the way to get our help. If you know what’s best for you, you’ll take us back to the city right now.”
“I rarely know what’s best for me,” Alisa murmured. “And we’re not abducting you.” Maybe if she kept telling everyone it was a rescue, more people would believe her, including the rescue victims. “We just needed to leave in a hurry once we got your father.” She nodded to Admiral Tiang, trying to get a read on him. He didn’t look very imposing without his army uniform, just a slight man in a rumpled shirt with thinning hair. But those slender fingers of his could apparently do complex surgery involving cybernetics.
“To get the staff,” Tiang said, looking at his daughter. “It would actually be my duty to acquire it from these thieves if I could.”
“We’re not thieves,” Alisa snapped. “If anything, Tomich stole the staff from us. It belongs to…” Uh, she didn’t know how to finish that sentence.
“You?” Leonidas offered, an eyebrow twitching.
More than eyebrows twitched on the Tiangs.
“Certainly not,” Alisa said. “It belongs in the middle of a sun. Thrown way down deep where it will burn to a crisp or at least be unavailable for megalomaniacs to use.”
Admiral Tiang gaped at her. “It must be studied. Such power doesn’t exist in the system anymore. If it could be harnessed, it might be the answer to the faster-than-light travel that has eluded us for so long. Imagine a journey between star systems that didn’t require cryonic freezing and centuries to complete.”
“Father, they don’t care about space travel.” Suyin grabbed his arm and drew him as far away as she could, which wasn’t very far in the compact NavCom compartment.
A heated argument broke out. Alisa looked at Yumi and Leonidas and shrugged. She was open to other tactics to use to sway the Tiangs to their side, or to at least get them to stop talking about thieving and abductions.
“Thirty-five minutes to our destination,” Yumi said unhelp
fully.
Leonidas nodded, as if he’d found the statement more useful than Alisa had.
“Very well,” he said. “We’ll do our best to retrieve the staff and then return our guests to their home.”
What was left of it. Alisa doubted either of them wanted to go back to that apartment until repairs had been done.
“We need to drop off the injured, as well. We shouldn’t have brought them along,” Leonidas added, a hint of sternness entering his tone. “This will be dangerous.”
“Of course it will,” Alisa said. “That’s why I’m hoping for help.”
“Help?” Suyin protested, turning toward them again. “You’ll be shot down by the military before we reach wherever you’re trying to take us.”
“I’m hoping the military doesn’t show up until we’re on our way to confront the staff thief,” Alisa said. “Preferably about a minute before he sees—senses—us coming. How long do you think it will take your fiancé to track us down, Dr. Tiang?” she asked Suyin.
Leonidas snorted, not looking surprised. He must have figured out her plan right away, to have the Tiangs’ rescuers see the staff thieves, or the Starseer temple, and turn their attention onto the rogues. While the chasadski were distracted, Leonidas and Abelardus could go in to acquire the relic. It sounded good to Alisa. She just hoped she could make it work.
Her question seemed to startle Suyin, but she soon recovered. “Are you insane?” she yelled. “Do you know how much trouble you’ll be in for kidnapping an admiral? And me?”
A knock sounded on the hatch, and it opened before Alisa could decide if she wanted to deal with anyone else. Beck strolled in, still wearing his armor but also wearing an apron over it. He had left the helmet somewhere in favor of carrying in a serving tray. Actually, that looked like a panel from some bulkhead that had been draped with a towel before having plates placed on it.
“Greetings, new friends,” he said brightly, smiling all around NavCom. “I thought you might like some refreshments to lubricate your discussion.”
“Beck,” Alisa said, “this isn’t the time to try to get an admiral to taste your sauces.”
“Are you sure? It sounded like the right time.” Beck gave her a pointed look.
Which probably meant the arguing had been audible through the hatch and all the way to the mess hall. Lovely.
“I have barbecued Arkadius dragon wings here,” Beck said, pointing to one plate. “And solberry chunk-chunk cookies. There’s also coffee in the mess hall, if you need to refuel yourselves before the next round of arguing. Help yourselves.”
Beck held the tray out to Alisa first. There didn’t seem to be a warning in his gaze, a suggestion that she only eat food from one side of the tray. Still, that pointed look he had given made her think something might be drugged. Alisa glanced at Yumi, wondering if she knew anything about it. She smiled enigmatically. Not helpful.
“New chef’s outfit for you, Beck?” Alisa asked, selecting a dragon wing and a cookie from the sides of the plates closest to her and watching to see if he silently warned her not to eat them.
He only smiled agreeably. “There wasn’t time to change, and I understand doom may be happening when we arrive at our destination. I’ve always believed doom should be met with weapons and armor.”
“Sounds like a reasonable policy.”
Beck shifted the tray to Yumi, who took the offerings without hesitation. She smiled serenely, looking like she knew something that Alisa didn’t. If they were drugging the Tiangs, to what end? They wouldn’t be any happier if they woke up in an hour after being drugged. Though at least they would be out of everyone’s hair during the hunt for the staff thieves. Not that locking them in a cabin with a guard couldn’t achieve the same thing.
“No,” Leonidas said, when Beck offered him the tray, though his gaze did linger on those cookies.
“No enjoying yourself on duty, eh?” Beck asked, turning the tray toward Suyin.
“Absolutely not,” she said, lifting her chin.
“Admiral?” Beck offered.
“I remember you,” Tiang said, eyeing the food.
“Yes, sir. I remember you too. I tried to make you an excellent dinner, and your ambush ruined it. I’m still trying to get blueberry balsamic glaze off the ceiling in the mess hall.”
Tiang snorted and surprised Alisa by picking up several dragon wings and two cookies.
“Father,” Suyin said, slapping his arm.
“What? His food was good.”
“Aren’t there military rules about accepting food from one’s captors?”
“Not if you’re an admiral.” Tiang chomped on a cookie.
“You’re awfully blasé about this,” Suyin grumbled, shooting Alisa, Leonidas, and Beck dirty looks.
“If the colonel needs me to do work on him, we shouldn’t be in any danger from these people.”
Alisa chewed on the dragon wing she had selected, which did not taste much different from a chicken wing, though she assumed Beck hadn’t used any of Yumi’s flock in the ingredients. A sweet-spicy sauce gave it a delicious tang and made her want to grab five more off the tray. Since she didn’t know if inimical things had been done to some or all of the food, she resisted the urge.
“You’re not going to upgrade his implants or whatever it is he wants,” Suyin said. “He’s dangerous enough as it is.”
Tiang looked at Leonidas, as if trying to gauge what it was that he wanted.
Alisa kept her mouth shut since Yumi and Beck were still in the cabin. She tried to catch Beck’s gaze, to wave him away with his refreshments, but he was wriggling his eyebrows at Suyin and offering her the tray again.
“I wish to have children,” Leonidas said, his bluntness startling Alisa.
Beck fumbled his tray, nearly dropping it. A couple of cookies did slide off their plate and onto the deck.
“Or at least to have the option for children one day,” Leonidas added, glancing at Alisa.
“Ah,” Tiang said, looking faintly puzzled, but then a second, “Ah” came out as understanding seemed to grasp him.
Suyin’s face crinkled in confusion.
Beck’s face was crinkled in more expressions than could be identified. He picked up the fallen cookies, set them on the tray, and turned toward the hatch. In a slightly strangled voice, he said, “Who wants coffee? Coffee is this way.”
“I am sympathetic, Colonel,” Tiang said, “but I don’t believe my superiors would wish me to help you.” He chomped on a cookie and followed Beck into the corridor.
Suyin opened her mouth, closed it, and followed her father out. Leonidas remained, his face guarded. He probably hadn’t expected a different response from the admiral, but he had to be disappointed nevertheless.
“The food isn’t drugged, is it?” Alisa whispered to Yumi, waving a cookie.
“I don’t believe so,” she said, looking at the sensor panel. “Earlier, when we first rescued them, I gave Beck a substance that should be dissolved in a hot liquid. It can’t withstand high temperatures, such as baking or grilling require.”
“The coffee?” Leonidas murmured.
“That’s a possibility.”
Alisa looked toward the corridor, but Beck and his new food fans had disappeared into the mess hall. Would the Tiangs, after not suffering ill effects from the food, be more trusting when it came to the coffee?
“What does it do?” Alisa asked. If she had wanted the two unconscious, she could have simply had Alejandro poke them with a sedative. Of course, they would have seen that coming.
“It’s the meykonghi arelexius that I made on Cleon Moon. I haven’t had a chance to sell any yet to fund my purchase of supplies and equipment. And more livestock. I’ve been thinking of a couple of tame jakloffs so we can have milk. Would you mind, Captain?”
Alisa’s thoughts got stuck on the name of the compound, and she barely heard the rest. “You gave them the orgasm drug?” she hissed.
“That’s not its only side eff
ect. If you’ll recall, I also told you that it relaxes the body and reduces inhibitions. I thought that might be appropriate, given the situation. From what I was able to gather of what’s going on—” Yumi gave Leonidas a quick, puzzled frown, “—I anticipated hostility.”
Alisa rubbed the back of her neck. “Just so long as Dr. Tiang doesn’t have the sudden urge to make a move on her father.”
“Really, Captain. My drugs don’t make people incestuous. Unless they already had such tendencies. It’s far more likely that Beck, as the handsome provider of cookies, would receive her attentions, should the drug affect her thus.”
“I… I…” For once, Alisa was speechless.
“I’m sure the fiancé will appreciate that,” Leonidas murmured.
“Perhaps a valid concern.” Yumi touched a blip that had appeared on the sensor monitor. “The usual high-altitude planes and spaceships are out there, on typical routes, but another spaceship has dropped out of orbit and is heading in our direction. Or perhaps straight at us.”
“The fiancé?” Alisa guessed.
“Five more ships trailing the lead one just appeared,” Yumi said.
“Sounds like the fiancé. How long until they intercept us?”
“Twenty minutes, at present speed.”
“Ah. Perfect.”
“We’re twenty-six minutes from our destination,” Yumi said dryly.
“Yes, but I wasn’t flying at maximum speed.” Alisa laid her hands on the control panel, boosting the thrusters. “I was hoping they would catch up.”
“Why?”
“Because someone has to bang their fists on their chests at the staff thieves while we sneak in and steal it back.”
“How do you intend to inform an armada of Alliance ships to turn its attentions from you to the thieves?”
“I’m still working on that part. Looks like I have… seventeen minutes to do so, at present speed.”
“Your plans are always interesting, Captain.”
“I’m not sure how to take that from a woman who sneaks orgasm drugs into people’s coffee.”
“A compliment,” Leonidas suggested. “Why don’t you go check on the Tiangs, Yumi? I’ll take over at the sensor station.”